An assembly line in Palmdale

Alan Radecki / Northrop Grumman

Troy Williams works inside an F-35 fuselage on a Northrop Grumman assembly line in Palmdale. Northrop Grumman is one of 260 companies in California that supply the program -- far more than any other state.

Troy Williams works inside an F-35 fuselage on a Northrop Grumman assembly line in Palmdale. Northrop Grumman is one of 260 companies in California that supply the program -- far more than any other state. (Alan Radecki / Northrop Grumman)

Troy Williams works inside an F-35 fuselage on a Northrop Grumman assembly line in Palmdale. Northrop Grumman is one of 260 companies in California that supply the program -- far more than any other state.